RismadarVoice Reporters, August 30, 2026
Nepal has intensified rescue operations to reach hundreds of workers feared trapped inside tunnels following devastating floods and landslides that have killed more than 780 people and left thousands missing.
The Nepalese military on Sunday airlifted heavy rescue equipment by helicopter to a hydropower project in the Himalayan region as emergency teams battled floodwaters, mud and debris to access workers trapped underground.
The disaster, which struck four days earlier along the China-Nepal border, caused widespread destruction across several areas, damaging infrastructure, disrupting hydropower projects and reducing Nepal’s electricity generation capacity.
Authorities said rescue operations were ongoing at five hydroelectric projects, with the largest effort focused on the Upper Trishuli complex, where officials received reports that about 350 people could be trapped inside tunnels.
Around 10,000 Nepalese troops have been deployed for rescue operations alongside specialised teams from China and India, according to Dharam Raj Uprety, chief of Nepal’s national disaster management authority.
Uprety described the operation as extremely challenging due to the large amount of debris blocking access routes.
“It is very tough because there is a lot of debris and we cannot blast things to make our way through,” he said.
A rescue team and soldiers worked throughout the night at the Upper Trishuli site, while Nepal’s Prime Minister Balen Shah’s office released images showing helicopters transporting heavy machinery to support the operation.
The Upper Trishuli Hydropower 3A and 3B projects, located along the Trishuli River in Nepal’s Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts, were among the facilities badly affected by the floods.
RESCUERS REACH TUNNEL ENTRANCE
Rescue teams achieved a breakthrough on Sunday after reaching the entrance of one of the tunnels and beginning efforts to remove debris blocking access.
Officials said once the tunnel is cleared, teams equipped with oxygen supplies and cameras will enter to assess conditions, search for survivors and gather information about the workers believed to be trapped inside.
The Nepalese army released photographs showing two men covered in mud after they were rescued from the entrance of one tunnel.
Officials estimated that between 35 and 40 workers could be trapped inside Tunnel 3A, although the figure has not been independently verified.
Nishesh Shrestha, an aide to Nepalese lawmaker Sagar Dhakal who is at the rescue site, said the estimate was based on information collected from nearby communities.
Rescue officials believe the main working area of the tunnel is located about 180 metres underground. Reaching the area could provide the first clear information about the condition and location of the trapped workers.
China and India have both sent specialised tunnel rescue teams by air to assist Nepalese authorities in the operation.
The floods and landslides have triggered one of Nepal’s deadliest natural disasters in recent years, leaving rescue agencies facing difficult terrain and unstable conditions as they continue efforts to locate missing people and save those trapped underground.
